I recently borrowed from the library the three DVD sets of The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones, which consist of "movies" compiled from individual episodes of the early 1990s TV series, The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles. These chronicle the adventures of 9 and 10 year old Indy (Corey Carrier) when he accompanies his parents on his father's world tour (set one); and 16-21-year old Indy (Sean Patrick Flanery) as he fights in World War I (first as a soldier in the Belgian army, later as an intelligence agent), and subsequently begins his studies in archaeology (sets one to three).

Do we still need libraries?

THE WORLD of “Mad Men.” Pictured (from left) are characters Lane Pryce (Jared Harris), Bertram Cooper (Robert Morse), Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), Roger Sterling (John Slattery) and Don Draper (Jon Hamm). – Photo by Frank Ockenfels 3

Whenever I watch a single frame of AMC's "Mad Men," I am immediately reminded of jazz orchestration. You know, the kind that Ellington built his reputation on. Sure, there's plenty of improvisation in works like "Ko-Ko," "Caravan," and others, but by and large, the core of Ellington's music is in what he wrote (as in music notation) and how he used the subtlties of each instrument to convey larger, moving ideas.

Remembering Grandma.

Thoughts about books I've recently read, this time out.

     In the early days of personal computers, Commodore was a trailblazer. In January 1977, Commodore was the first computer company to announce an affordable personal computer. The PET would sell for $495.

     I've now seen 12 of the 13 episodes comprising Matt Smith's first season as the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who. For those who argue that Smith's too young for the role (at 27, he supercedes Fifth Doctor Peter Davison as the youngest actor to play the Doctor), I say watch his performance. Smith is more than capable of handling the part.

Jack Shephard (Matthew Fox) lies dying with Vincent the dog at his side. Photo courtesy ABC.com

     Ah, spring. That time of warm weather. Girls in sun dresses. TV season finales.

     Joe Simon and Jack Kirby are two of the most influential names in comics. Not only did they co-create Captain America in 1940 for Timely Comics (later Marvel), but they also worked on such DC titles as Boy Commandos, Sandman, Manhunter and The Newsboy Legion.

Norman Corwin at his 99th birthday celebration, presented by California Artists Radio Theatre. Photo by Enci Box

On May 3, Norman Corwin will celebrate his 100th birthday. Corwin, who has been called "radio's poet laureate" is the author of such radio productions as We Hold These Truths (broadcast Dec. 15, 1941 on all four radio networks to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Bill of Rights (and airing just eight days after Pearl Harbor)); On a Note of Triumph (broadcast on CBS May 13, 1945, following VE Day, the end of hostilities in Europe in World War II); and Columbia Presents Corwin: Fourteen August (broadcast on CBS Aug. 14, 1945 following VJ Day and allied victory over Japan).

     "He hunts the biggest of all game- public enemies that even the G-Men cannot reach."